Military Training in the Savannah Area

WTOC is reporting that there will be military training in the Savannah area over the coming week:
http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11992474

Players for the exercise have been arriving throughout the day. 4 MC-130s using TALON 21, 22, and 23 arrived as did SHADOW 98. C-17s from Charleston AFB, BASCO 70 flight, have been doing drops with the Rangers at Fort Stewart this afternoon; they could be involved in the training WTOC describes as well.

This should make for some interesting stuff to listen to.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

Fort Stewart Forestry Article

http://savannahnow.com/node/684079

The Savannah Morning News had a good article this morning on Fort Stewart Forestry and the prescribed burns that they do during the Spring and Summer. There is radio traffic to monitor for the prescribed burns if you have digital and federal VHF capabilities with your radio. Much of the traffic from the forestry units on the ground is on TG 2480 of the Fort Stewart/Hunter AAF TRS. Traffic between the ground units and the helicopter that the article mentions is on 163.5625.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

1-10 AVN Range Activity

This morning the Savannah Morning News ran an article on AH-64Ds from 1-10 AVN training up for a deployment to Iraq: http://savannahnow.com/node/554777

The online article also features photos and videos.

For radio hobbyists, we can catch the AH-64Ds going to and from Hunter AAF and the Fort Stewart ranges. From my location, I lose them after they enter Fort Stewart's airspace due to their low flight level. Stations closer to Fort Stewart may be able to track them farther using Hunter AAF and Fort Stewart frequencies:

124.975 - Hunter AAF Tower
279.575 - Hunter AAF Tower
127.350 - Marne Radio (Fort Stewart)
279.625 - Marne Radio (Fort Stewart)

Listen for ARMY 45###, 57###, and 75### callsigns. They usually ID as AH-64s with Marne Radio when they check in.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to Train at Fort Stewart

It seems that the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (TX Army National Guard) will be training at Fort Stewart much as the 76th BCT did in January and February of this year.

I heard some traffic on the Fort Stewart TRS last week that makes it sound like the 4th Cav Bde will once again be doing the training. Some of the same callsigns have been heard: STALKER, RENEGADE, BLACKJACK, THUNDER, GUNNER, and DAGGER callsigns were heard on TG 10096. WOLVERINE was heard on TG 8944


Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Hunter AAF and Fort Stewart Exercise

There is an exercise of some sort going on at Hunter AAF and Fort Stewart. I started hearing the activity on Thursday night and it has been on each night since, including last night. Most of the activity is UHF milair encrypted, but some of it has been in the clear. Participants include A-10s that seem to be from the 23rd Wing, an AC-130, an MC-130, and several C-17s all of which are using callsigns that change daily. Additionally, the A-10s have aerial refueled several times each night in the "Nicole" AR track, which they have accessed via 380.025 (Savannah Approach) and 363.200 (Jax Center Allendale)

124.975 - Hunter AAF Tower
279.575 - Hunter AAF Tower
279.625 - Marne Radio
380.025 - Savannah Approach/Departure
363.200 - Jax Center Allendale Sector
141.650 - A-10 air-to-air (Friday night)
143.150 - A-10 air-to-air (Thursday night)
143.600 - A-10 air-to-air (Saturday night)
228.175 - encrypted
236.725 - A-10 and AC-130 air-to-ground
250.275 - encrypted
299.650 - encrypted (satcom uplink?)
364.275 - Aerial Refueling
396.525 - encrypted

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net